Powers and abilities

Skills

Ability type

Orbot (オーボット,Ōrubotto?) is a fictional character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is a robot built by Dr. Eggman. One of Eggman's aide robots,[1] Orbot mainly assists the doctor in his schemes for world domination and making sure his plans are carried out correctly, with his partner Cubot working alongside him to perform various duties.[2]

Serious and intelligent, Orbot is loyal to Eggman. However, he does not like him very much, and his spiteful sarcasm sometimes provokes the anger of his creator.[1][2]

Contents

Appearance

Orbot is a diminutive robot with a round head composed of a semispherical cap with a smaller black semisphere under it for a lower face. His lower face can separate to reveal a cover, representing his mouth, and he has two grey-framed and pupil-less eyes. He has also a ball joint for a chest and red gloves for hands. His arms and back consist each of two thin bars that are joined by a ball joint. His lower body is a small semisphere with a grey inside and a ball joint connecting it to his back.

Orbot's first iteration had a white head cap and pink eyes and mouth, while the rest of him was pretty much all-black with a few white joints. Currently, Orbot has a red head cap and light blue eyes and mouth, while the rest of him is black and grey with a few red joints.

History

Past

Created by Dr. Eggman, Orbot was made for the purpose of aiding his creator with his various schemes and wait on him hand and foot.[1][2]

Sonic Unleashed

In Sonic Unleashed, Orbot (or perhaps a prototype of him[3]) assisted Eggman in his plan to use the power of Dark Gaia, which scattered around the world when Eggman awoke it, to construct Eggmanland. Orbot oversaw this process, doing the mechanical processes involved and relaying information of the plan's progress. When Eggman deployed his Egg Cauldron to take of Sonic in the Tornado-1, Orbot warned Eggman to handle it gently, but was ignored.

Orbot later accompanied Eggman to Mazuri to secure a Gaia Temple. There, Orbot laughed at Eggman when he was pegged in the face by a rock from Kwod before he was shut up by the doctor. When Sonic then came to the villagers' rescue, Orbot came with Eggman as he escaped.

Orbot in Eggman's base.

Back at Eggman's base, Orbot presented Eggman with his dinner and reported that his plans were behind schedule, which Orbot constantly noted was the doctor's own fault while pointing out the undesired results of his hasty actions. As Eggman contemplated on how to gather Dark Gaia's pieces, Orbot gave his suggestions, but was brushed aside when Eggman had the idea of attracting them with an energy pulse. As Eggman's plan proved to be successful, Orbot commenced Project Dark Gaia upon Eggman's clearance.

Later on, Orbot was in Eggman's Egg Mobile with Eggman as the doctor was defeated by Sonic in the Egg Dragoon and then knocked into the horizon by Dark Gaia appeared. Landing in a rocky region as Sonic and Chip defeated Dark Gaia and thwarted Eggman's plans, Orbot suggested to Eggman that he could begin anew as he listed all the ways the doctor's plans had failed, making Eggman snap and try to kick him. Orbot, however, dodged the kick and ran off with the doctor chasing after him.

Later, Orbot and Cubot presented the Wisps they had caught to Eggman and were just sent out to get more when Sonic had arrived. Orbot then followed after Eggman when the doctor unleashed the Rotatatron. After Sonic destroyed the Rotatatron, Orbot and Cubot were send to clean up the robot's remains. Though they could not find Rotatatron's arm, Orbot was not concerned, unaware it had gotten stuck in the mind control cannon. Back at Eggman's headquarters, Orbot was ordered by to give Cubot a new voice chip to get rid of his cowboy-accent. However, Orbot got the wrong chip and gave Cubot a pirate-accent, resulting in him hurrying out on Eggman's orders to fix it.

Orbot giving Cubot his old voice back.

When the mind control cannon was ready, Orbot watched Eggman activate it, only for it to backfire due to the Rotatatron's arm being stuck in it. As Orbot then slapped Cubot's back in praise for being more "attentive" when Cubot noted Eggman's constant failures, he gave Cubot his old voice back. When Eggman then faced Sonic in his Nega-Wisp Armor and was defeated, Orbot was pulled with Eggman and Cubot into a temporarily black hole created by the mind control cannon. Now stranded in outer space, Orbot and Cubot began helping Eggman get back to civilization by pushing him in his trashed Egg Mobile through space.

Sonic Generations

Some time before the events of Sonic Generations, a short while after the destruction of Dr. Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park, Orbot and Cubot were still pushing Eggman in his damaged Egg Mobile through outer space when they encountered the primordial form of the Time Eater. As Eggman decided to harness the creature's powers for his own needs, he had Orbot and Cubot push him into the Time Eater, leaving the robot duo behind in space.

Returning to Eggman's factory on the Lost Hex, Orbot worked with Cubot on making Badniks. Later on, when Eggman tested his Extractor, Orbot operated the controls on the device, but was ordered to shut it down before it could destroy the Earth. Later in Desert Ruins, Orbot and Cubot were with Eggman as he punished the Deadly Six with the Cacophonic Conch when Sonic arrived and knocked the conch away. As the Deadly Six then rebelled against and attacked everyone present with the Badniks, Orbot caught Cubot's detached head, before escaping with Sonic, Tails and Eggman.

After escaping the Deadly Six, Orbot left Sonic and Tails with Cubot and Eggman. When they learned the Deadly Six were using the Extractor to destroy the Earth, however, Cubot, Eggman and Orbot came back and teamed up with Sonic and Tails to stop the Deadly Six before they could destroy the world. Along the group's travels, Orbot served as the carrier for Cubot's head. After Tails got captured by the Deadly Six, Orbot asked Sonic if he could become his sidekick, but was declined. Later, Orbot was forced to have Cubot's head attached to his body by Eggman.

Cubot and Orbot finding Eggman after his fall.

At Lava Mountain, the group was attacked by Zazz and Zomom, who made Orbot and Cubot fall into a lava pit. However, they were saved by Eggman, who faked his death by falling into the same lava pit and then flew them to safety with a jetpack. After Eggman then shut down the Extractor and charged his mech, Orbot and Cubot joined Eggman in his mech as the doctor faced Sonic and Tails but was defeated. After that, Orbot and Cubot followed Eggman to earth when he fell from the Lost Hex and found him in a hole, though with half of his mustache gone. Orbot convinced Cubot to wait telling Eggman about his mustache until he separated them, but Eggman overheard them, scaring Orbot and Cubot away.

Sonic Runners

In Sonic Runners, Orbot assisted Dr. Eggman during various operations as Eggman concocted one plot after another to achieve world domination. Orbot would also as a commander of Eggman's Badnik hordes during their hunts for Animals to use as power sources. Whenever encountering Team Sonic however, Orbot was met with failure, leaving him to scolded by Eggman.

During Eggman's endgame, Orbot set up a trap to stop Team Sonic when they inevitably arrived. However, thanks to Cubot, the team got past Orbot's defenses. Admitting defeated, Orbot retreated from Team Sonic when they arrived.

Other game appearances

Mario & Sonic series

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

In Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Orbot makes several appearances in the game's different events, along with Cubot. In London Party mode, Orbot is one of the helping characters, where sometimes, when placing a sticker on a question mark spot, both Orbot and Cubot will appear and copy an existing sticker on that page, placing it in a random spot that is not a question mark. Additionally, Orbot and Cubot have their own bonus game, "Orbot And Cubot Tag", where they will try to trap the players in metal cages.

Additionally, when speaking to Metal Sonic in London, Orbot and Cubot will appear above his head and talk to the player instead.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Personality

In comparison to Cubot, Orbot is the smarter, more serious and firmer of the two.[1] From the start, Orbot has showed an eye for efficiency, taking close notice of Eggman's flaws or awry plans. He is as well rather sassy and shows a sense of spiteful sarcasm,[1] voicing facts and opinions as he sees fit, whether it is offering unsolicited, withering assessments of his master or asking a mourning Sonic to become his sidekick. As such, he comes off as straightforward, insensitive and brash. However, he does not mean anything by it, and behaves mainly as such to give constructive criticism and approach subjects matter-of-factly.[4]

During his first iteration, Orbot's personality was rather artificial, being stiff and mechanical in behavior and speech. Combined with his sassiness, he was utterly, comically tactless. Even so, Orbot displayed a open lack of respect and invective language; he laughed openly when Eggman's physical misfortune and would directly insult Eggman with snarky comments and sarcastic remarks at the doctor's expense.

Nowadays, Orbot's personality has become more jaded and refined, giving him a wider spectrum of emotions and a polished demeanor which goes along with his smooth surface. As such, while still sassy and sarcastic, he has become more legal in his approaches and goes about them in a more diplomatic way. He therefore speaks calmly and formally, yet without a filter, and is more honest to a fault than outright rude.

Orbot slacking pose.

Orbot is a devoted follower, although not necessarily out of personal preference.[1][2] Also, while he completes his work diligently,[1] he tends to be lazy when possible, often cutting corners when working. When slacking off, Orbot has a habit of resting on his side and hold his head up with one arm.

Powers and abilities

Orbot's retracted state.

Orbot has the ability to retract his body into a travel-sized sphere. While in this state, he is fully capable of movements.

Orbot is able to levitate and can move freely through midair. However, he is not able to levitate any higher than a few meters above the ground and he requires a solid surface below him to float, meaning he will fall down if the footing below him is removed.[5] He also has special skills in data analysis and cleaning.[1]

Relationships

Doctor Eggman

Although Orbot obeys his creator/boss Dr. Eggman faithfully and shows concerns about his well-being, he really does not like him very much.[2] While Orbot generally assists Eggman's with his more delicate operations, he often makes spiteful sarcastic remarks for pointing out general flaws in Eggman's plans which sometimes angers the doctor,[1] prompting a quick smack in return.

Orbot is constantly bothered by Eggman's attitude and receives worse treatment from him than from enemies like Sonic and Tails.[6] As such, he agrees that Eggman is a "total bonehead". He will similarly laugh at Eggman's misfortune and would early on insult him openly with sarcastic remarks. Additionally, Orbot considers working for Sonic a better alternative than working for Eggman. Regardless of his dislike of Eggman, Orbot is very much afraid of his master's wrath and will try to not overstep his boundaries.

Cubot

In general, Orbot is not fond of Cubot's idiocy and considers him a dimwit, having expressed what a "nightmare" it was for him having Cubot's head attached to him. When they work well together, Orbot usually lets Cubot do all the work while he slacks off. Also, while having to carry around with Cubot's head in Sonic Lost World, he would mostly fumble around with it for his amusement. Nevertheless, Orbot has a good relationship with Cubot and he considers him a close friend of his. Whenever Cubot regains his normal voice, Orbot would be very happy about his recovery, and when he believed Cubot to be dead, Orbot showed genuine sadness over it.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Orbot asking Sonic if he can become his sidekick.

Though they are supposed to be enemies, Orbot does not really hold any personal hostility towards Sonic the Hedgehog besides his obligation to stop him. In fact, Orbot admires Sonic for his devotion to his friends, which makes him wish to work for him;[4] after Tails was captured by the Deadly Six, Orbot asked Sonic if he could become his sidekick in the case he could not save Tails as he considered working for him a better alternative than Eggman.[4]

In other media

Archie Comics

Orbot appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series and its spin-offs. In this media, Orbot is one of Dr. Eggman's emergency lackeys and personal attendants, along with Cubot. When Snively betrayed Eggman and tried to seize control of the Eggman Empire, Orbot and Cubot were activated to help Eggman capture Snively. After the mission was completed, Orbot and Cubot were permanently instated as Eggman's foremost assistants.

Following the events of Worlds Collide, Orbot and his history became nearly indistinguishable from his game counterpart.

Sonic Boom

In the Sonic Boom franchise, Orbot is one of Dr. Eggman's service robots, much like in the games. He works alongside Cubot and assists the doctor in his endeavors to conquer the world and destroy Team Sonic. In this media, he is the final model in the Orbot Series.

Quotes

"That, Doctor, is the result of the power of the Chaos Emeralds, which you discarded along with Sonic. Ergo, another repercussion of your hasty actions."

—Orbot replying to Eggman about the planet's recovery and telling him off.

"Searching conventional wisdom banks for topical advice... "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a simple step." "Slow and steady wins the race." "Nobody likes a whiner.""

—Orbot giving Eggman advice on recovering Dark Gaia.

"Your skill of self-aggrandisement is unparallelised."

—Orbot comments after Eggman laughs to himself at his genius.

"You can simply begin your plans anew. Even if all your efforts this last time were utterly wasted. Even if it was a complete and utter humiliating loss. Even the most pathetic loser in all the world will surely have his chance to..."

"From where I'm sitting, it is a nighmare. Who thought that putting this bucket-brain's head onto me was a good idea?"

—Orbot after having Cubot's head attached to him and disagreeing being a robot is not bad.

Trivia

Orbot was not given an official name until Sonic Colors, as he was not addressed by name in Sonic Unleashed. He was given the name "Ergo" by fans on account of his propensity to use the word frequently while dissecting Eggman's plans. However, in the Sonic Unleashed game script given to Archie Comics writer Ian Flynn, he was supposedly named "SA-55".[7]

This early name is leet speak for "sass", which refers to his overall sassy and occasionally cheeky behaviour.

In one cutscene of Sonic Lost World, Orbot is seen holding Cubot's head and saying "Alas, poor Cubot, I knew him well.", a reference to the famous "Alas, poor Yorick" speech from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.